Together, We're Making A Difference

Every fifth Sunday, Pflugerville’s Northeast Community Church (NECC) does not meet for a traditional worship service. Instead, the congregation participates in a service project. This year, on one of the hottest days of the summer, more than 40 people gathered outside a Northeast Austin home. Toolboxes, cleaning supplies and lumber in hands, the team got to work.

What does this story have to do with Upbring? Everything.

The home belongs to Antoinette Taylor, who is caring for her cousin’s four children and is close to becoming their legal foster parent. When Antoinette received the call from Texas Child Protective Services (CPS) to provide emergency placement for the kids, she needed help. The children arrived in Antoinette’s care unexpectedly, and while she met all of the personal requirements, she needed Upbring’s help to meet home visit requirements. The tasks included household chores like rebuilding a fence, doing yard work, assembling furniture and preparing the children’s bedroom.

Seemingly overnight, a team of NECC members and staff from Foster In Texas were assembled, thanks to the coordination efforts of Upbring. The group of individuals acted as a true family that day to support and love one of our treasured Upbring families. Fences were built, furniture was assembled, and Antoinette’s house was prepared for her upcoming home visit.

The efforts caught the attention of the Austin Statesman, who quoted Upbring’s Dan Zieschang in an explanation of our collaboration with NECC, “What we’re hoping to do is bring these two together — Northeast Community Church and Antionette — and them take the relationship from here.”

This is only one of hundreds of examples of how we are not only breaking the cycle of child abuse by empowering families, but we ourselves are family at Upbring.

When We Serve, We Are Are Family.

While we stand courageous and steadfast in our commitment to protect the families we serve, the heart of what we do lies in our faith-inspired will to serve others. Sometimes, being family means coming together at a foster parent’s home. Sometimes, it means taking an extra task or two for a teammate. And sometimes, it means bringing breakfast tacos to the office to celebrate a team accomplishment! However it looks, one thing is clear at Upbring. We are all together as we work to break the cycle of child abuse.

At Upbring, we recognize that children enter the system at different stages of their lives and due to varying life events. Because the types of abuse and neglect vary among children, we are committed to raising the standards and addressing the entire spectrum.

Upbring will accomplish this through an innovative continuum of services and community partnerships, each tracking progress against markers of safety, life skills, education, health and vocation, all of which are critical to breaking the cycle of child abuse.

Strategic Partner - Foundation Communities

We know that foster care placement is 34 times higher for families experiencing homelessness than the general population of same aged children. We know that more than 1 in 5 youth who age out of foster care will become homeless after 18.

Foster families are eligible to apply for financial assistance (based on individual locations).

Join their team! The Y is hiring, with lots of flexible part-time opportunities!

Strategic Partner - Phoenix House

Health. We know that children of parents with substance abuse disorders are 3 times more likely to be abused and 4 timesmore likely to be neglected, making a holistic approach to treatment and recovery optionsthat incorporate family services essential. (Learn more about Phoenix House here.)

Outpatient treatment with individual, group and family counseling for teens struggling withdrug/alcohol abuse.

Strategic Partner - Dell Children's

Health. We know that experiencing multiple traumatic childhood events – being removed from family – and toxic stress are determinants of lifelong disparities in physical and mental health. Access to high-quality, trauma-informed, integrated health care is critical.(Learn more about Dell Children’s programs here)